Released: September 13, 2004

Songwriter: Gary Kemp Nelly Jayson “Koko” Bridges

Producer: Jayson “Koko” Bridges

[Intro]
Yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, let's go

[Chorus]
(Huh huh huh hu-uh huh)
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh (huh huh huh hu-uh huh), yeahhhh
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh

[Verse 1]
Hold up, stop ma, let me get a look at'cha
Damn girl, I ain't seen you since prom
Come to think about it, can't believe it's been that long
I heard your man locked down now, how long he gone?
Oh that long? How the hell'd he get time like that
Three strikes with possession - aw he ain't coming back
He left you with two kids and bills all around
Plus you found out he had another chick 'cross town
It's always the darkest, ah-right before the sun rising
And you gotta stay strong, for the kids in they eyes and
And please don't despise, and go against all brothers
And have a hatred in your heart and take it out on another
I hate to sound 2Pac-ish lil' mama, but keep ya head up
But you gon' make it, I promise - you keep your head up
And that that don't kill you only makes you stronger
And the will to succeed'll only feed the hunger, f'real
F'real, f'real, hey

[Chorus]
(Huh huh huh hu-uh huh)
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh (huh huh huh hu-uh huh), yeahhhh
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh

[Verse 2]
I was at the gas station when a man walked past
With a sign "will work for food, clothes or cash"
And he asked if he could pump my gas - so I let him
Clean the windshield and throw out the trash - so I let him
Hey, I even asked the brother his name
Where he was from, got kids man and what's they age
He kinda sturred for a second, he kinda looked surprise
That anyone would even take an interest in his life
He said, "Young brother dem the only wurrds, I done hurrd, in the last yurr
That wasn't low or get the fuck away from hurr"
How could something so simple as general conversation
Mean much more than general conversation? Hey
You could tell life had beaten him down
Like he was in a title fight and this might be his last round
Sometimes the easiest things we take for granted
Until they gone, and realize we even had it, f'real
F'real, f'real, hey

[Chorus]
(Huh huh huh hu-uh huh)
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh (huh huh huh hu-uh huh), yeahhhh
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh

[Verse 3]
I used to think that life had a plan for me
Until I realized, life had to be planned by me
See that's the key, I only deal with what I can see
'Cause over history, mystery brought us nutting but misery
Man mo' people done died, in the name of the Lord
Than in any natural disaster, disease or gang war
Before guns there was swords, and they was killing each other
Ain't much changed to this day, we still killing each other
Killing our brothers while another mother cries for help
Man, we need to help a brother find himself
Feed him, life, ah-one-twoooo, three
Hey, that's something e'ry brother should see, and that's f'real
And that's f'real, and that's f'real, hey

[Chorus]
(Huh huh huh hu-uh huh)
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh (huh huh huh hu-uh huh), yeahhhh
Ohhhhh! And they say, ohhhhh-ohhh
Oahhh-ohhhh

[Outro]
(Huh huh huh hu-uh huh)

Nelly

Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. (born November 2, 1974), known professionally as Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, investor, and occasional actor from St. Louis, Missouri. Nelly embarked on his music career with Midwest hip hop group St. Lunatics, in 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in the year 2000, with his debut album Country Grammar, of which the title-track was a top ten hit. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to peak at number one. Country Grammar is Nelly’s best-selling album to date, selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States. His following album Nellyville, produced the number-one hits “Hot in Herre” and Dilemma. Other singles included “Work It”, “Air Force Ones”, “Pimp Juice” and “#1”.